On This Day — 22 December

2018

A tsunami caused by an eruption of Anak Krakatau in Indonesia kills at least 430 people and injures almost a thousand more.

2018 Sunda Strait tsunami

2018

The 2018–2019 United States federal government shutdown, the second-longest shutdown of the U.S. federal government in history, begins.

2018–2019 United States federal government shutdown

2017

United Nations Security Council Resolution 2397 against North Korea is unanimously approved.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 2397

2016

A study finds the VSV-EBOV vaccine against the Ebola virus between 70 and 100% effective, making it the first proven vaccine against the disease.

RVSV-ZEBOV vaccine

2012

Bashir Ahmad Bilour of Awami National Party and eight others are killed in a Pakistan Taliban bomber suicide attack in Dhaki Nalbandi area near Qissa Khwani Bazaar.

Bashir Ahmad Bilour

2010

The repeal of the Don't ask, don't tell policy, the 17-year-old policy banning homosexuals serving openly in the United States military, is signed into law by President Barack Obama.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010

2008

An ash dike ruptures at a solid waste containment area for a Tennessee Valley Authority coal-fired power plant in Roane County, Tennessee, releasing 4.2 million m3 (1.1 billion US gal) of coal fly ash slurry in the largest industrial spill in U.S. history.

Kingston Fossil Plant coal fly ash slurry spill

2001

Burhanuddin Rabbani, political leader of the Northern Alliance, hands over power in Islamic State of Afghanistan to the interim government headed by President Hamid Karzai.

Burhanuddin Rabbani

2001

Richard Reid attempts to destroy a passenger airliner by igniting explosives hidden in his shoes aboard American Airlines Flight 63.

Richard Reid

1999

Just after taking off from London Stansted Airport, Korean Air Cargo Flight 8509 crashes into Hatfield Forest near Great Hallingbury, killing all four people on board.

London Stansted Airport

1997

Acteal massacre: Attendees at a prayer meeting of Roman Catholic activists for indigenous causes in the small village of Acteal in the Mexican state of Chiapas are massacred by paramilitary forces.

Acteal massacre

1997

Somali Civil War: Hussein Farrah Aidid relinquishes the disputed title of President of Somalia by signing the Cairo Declaration, in Cairo, Egypt. It is the first major step towards reconciliation in Somalia since 1991.

Somali Civil War

1996

Airborne Express Flight 827 crashes in Narrows, Virginia, killing all six people on board.

Airborne Express Flight 827

1992

During approach to Tripoli International Airport, a Boeing 727 operating as Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 1103 collides in mid-air with a Libyan Air Force Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23, killing 157 people.

Tripoli International Airport

1990

Lech Wałęsa is elected President of Poland.

Lech Wałęsa

1990

Final independence of Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia after termination of trusteeship.

Marshall Islands

1989

Romanian Revolution: Communist President of Romania Nicolae Ceaușescu is overthrown by Ion Iliescu after days of bloody confrontations. The deposed dictator and his wife Elena flee Bucharest in a helicopter as protesters erupt in cheers.

Romanian revolution

1989

German reunification: Berlin's Brandenburg Gate re-opens after nearly 30 years, effectively ending the division of East and West Germany.

German reunification

1987

In Zimbabwe, the political parties ZANU and ZAPU reach an agreement that ends the violence in the Matabeleland region known as the Gukurahundi.

Zimbabwe

1984

"Subway vigilante" Bernhard Goetz shoots four would-be muggers on a 2 express train in Manhattan section of New York, United States.

1984 New York City Subway shooting

1978

The pivotal Third Plenum of the 11th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party is held in Beijing, with Deng Xiaoping reversing Mao-era policies to pursue a program for the reform and opening up.

11th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party

1975

U.S. President Gerald Ford creates the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in response to the 1970s energy crisis.

Gerald Ford

1974

Grande Comore, Anjouan and Mohéli vote to become the independent nation of Comoros. Mayotte remains under French administration.

Grande Comore

1973

A Royal Air Maroc Sud Aviation Caravelle crashes near Tangier-Boukhalef Airport in Tangier, Morocco, killing 106.

Royal Air Maroc

1971

The international aid organization Doctors Without Borders is founded by Bernard Kouchner and a group of journalists in Paris, France.

Médecins Sans Frontières

1968

Cultural Revolution: People's Daily posted the instructions of Mao Zedong that "The intellectual youth must go to the country, and will be educated from living in rural poverty."

Cultural Revolution

1965

In the United Kingdom, a 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) speed limit is applied to all rural roads including motorways for the first time.

Speed limit

1964

The first test flight of the SR-71 (Blackbird) takes place at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California, United States.

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

1963

The cruise ship Lakonia burns 290 kilometres (180 mi) north of Madeira, Portugal with the loss of 128 lives.

Cruise ship

1948

Sjafruddin Prawiranegara established the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia (Pemerintah Darurat Republik Indonesia, PDRI) in West Sumatra.

Sjafruddin Prawiranegara

1945

U.S. President Harry S. Truman issues an executive order giving World War II refugees precedence in visa applications under U.S. immigration quotas.

Harry S. Truman

1944

World War II: Battle of the Bulge: German troops demand the surrender of United States troops at Bastogne, Belgium, prompting the famous one word reply by Brigadier General Anthony McAuliffe: "Nuts!"

Battle of the Bulge

1944

World War II: The People's Army of Vietnam is formed to resist Japanese occupation of Indochina, now Vietnam.

People's Army of Vietnam

1942

World War II: Adolf Hitler signs the order to develop the V-2 rocket as a weapon.

Adolf Hitler

1940

World War II: Himara is captured by the Greek army.

Himarë

1939

Indian Muslims observe a "Day of Deliverance" to celebrate the resignations of members of the Indian National Congress over their not having been consulted over the decision to enter World War II with the United Kingdom.

Islam in India

1937

The Lincoln Tunnel opens to traffic in New York City.

Lincoln Tunnel

1921

Opening of Visva-Bharati College, also known as Santiniketan College, now Visva Bharati University, India.

Visva-Bharati University

1920

The GOELRO economic development plan is adopted by the 8th Congress of Soviets of the Russian SFSR.

GOELRO

1906

An Mw  7.9 earthquake strikes Xinjiang, China, killing at least 280.

1906 Manasi earthquake

1894

The Dreyfus affair begins in France, when Alfred Dreyfus is wrongly convicted of treason.

Dreyfus affair

1891

Asteroid 323 Brucia becomes the first asteroid discovered using photography.

323 Brucia

1890

Cornwallis Valley Railway begins operation between Kentville and Kingsport, Nova Scotia.

Cornwallis Valley Railway

1888

The Christmas Meeting of 1888, considered to be the official start of the Faroese independence movement.

Christmas Meeting of 1888

1885

Itō Hirobumi, a samurai, becomes the first Prime Minister of Japan.

Itō Hirobumi

1864

American Civil War: Savannah, Georgia, falls to the Union's Army of the Tennessee, and General Sherman tells President Abraham Lincoln: "I beg to present you as a Christmas gift the city of Savannah".

American Civil War

1851

India's first freight train is operated in Roorkee, to transport material for the construction of the Ganges Canal.

Roorkee

1825

The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., burns.

Library of Congress

1808

Ludwig van Beethoven conducts and performs in concert at the Theater an der Wien, Vienna, with the premiere of his Fifth Symphony, Sixth Symphony, Fourth Piano Concerto and Choral Fantasy.

Ludwig van Beethoven

1807

The Embargo Act, forbidding trade with all foreign countries, is passed by the U.S. Congress at the urging of President Thomas Jefferson.

Embargo Act of 1807

1790

The Turkish fortress of Izmail is stormed and captured by Alexander Suvorov and his Russian armies.

Izmail

1788

Nguyễn Huệ proclaims himself Emperor Quang Trung, in effect abolishing on his own the Lê dynasty.

Quang Trung

1769

Sino-Burmese War: The war ends with the Qing dynasty withdrawing from Burma forever.

Sino-Burmese War

1489

The forces of the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, take control of Almería from the Nasrid ruler of Granada, Muhammad XII.

Catholic Monarchs of Spain

1216

Pope Honorius III approves the Dominican Order through the papal bull of confirmation Religiosam vitam.

Pope Honorius III

1135

Three weeks after the death of King Henry I of England, Stephen of Blois claims the throne and is privately crowned King of England, beginning the English Anarchy.

Henry I of England

880

Luoyang, eastern capital of the Tang dynasty, is captured by rebel leader Huang Chao during the reign of Emperor Xizong.

Luoyang

856

Damghan earthquake: An earthquake near the Persian city of Damghan kills an estimated 200,000 people, the sixth deadliest earthquake in recorded history.

856 Damghan earthquake

401

Pope Innocent I is elected, the only pope to succeed his father in the office.

Pope Innocent I

69

Vespasian is proclaimed Emperor of Rome; his predecessor, Vitellius, attempts to abdicate but is captured and killed at the Gemonian stairs.

AD 69